Elizabeth Jacob

Elizabeth Jacob is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, specializing in modern West African history with emphases on gender, family, and politics in Côte d'Ivoire. She holds a PhD in History from Stanford University and a BA from Columbia University.

Her research examines how concepts of African motherhood influence women's civic engagement and explores decolonization, pan-Africanism, and global feminisms. Key projects include a book manuscript analyzing the evolution of 'civic motherhood' expectations in Ivoirian women's activism.

Supported by grants from the Fulbright Program, Clayman Institute, and Stanford Humanities Center, her work bridges historical analysis with contemporary gender politics. Courses taught include African history surveys, modern West Africa studies, gender in African contexts, and global feminisms.

Recent publications (2021-2023) focus on gendered aspects of Côte d'Ivoire's anticolonial movements and post-independence governance. Her scholarly contributions highlight intersections between family structures, political participation, and decolonization processes.